The present invention relates to a master processing apparatus for performing a master processing operation on a selected substrate.
Master processing apparatuses, such as laminating apparatuses and adhesive transfer apparatuses, are well-known in the art. These apparatuses typically include a frame to which a pair of feed rolls are removably mounted (either individually or in a cartridge). A master processing assembly is provided in the frame and the stock materials on the feed roll are unwound and fed into the processing assembly. A power or hand-operated actuator actuates the processing assembly. A master (such as a photograph, printout, business card or any other selected substrate or document) to be processed is fed into the processing assembly and the processing assembly causes adhesive from one or both the stock materials to bond to the master. In laminating operations, both stock materials are laminating films coated with pressure-sensitive or heat-sensitive adhesive and these films are both adhered to the opposing sides of the master. In adhesive transfer operations, one of the stock materials is a release liner on which a layer of adhesive is coated and the other is an aggressive or non-aggressive mask. During the operation, the adhesive on the release liner is transferred to one side of the master and, if the mask substrate is aggressive (i.e. has an affinity for adhesive bonding), then any excess adhesive will transfer to the mask substrate, which is then peeled off to expose the master on the release liner and remove the excess adhesive. For further details on these operations, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,580,417 and 5,584,962.
In known apparatuses, a cutting device is mounted adjacent the discharge side of the master processing assembly in order to sever a final product containing a master from the continuous strips of stock material (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,322). The cutting device is operable to perform a cutting operation after a master processing operation wherein the cutting device cuts through the stock materials in a direction transverse to the feeding direction. The cutting device is not adapted to perform additional cutting operations in different directions, such as the feeding direction, before or after master processing operations. Typically, if the operator needs to perform additional cutting operations, the user must use an additional cutting device separate from the apparatus. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a cutting device for a master processing apparatus that can perform multiple cutting operations before or after master processing operations so as to facilitate the entire procedure associated with master processing operations.
Additionally, known apparatuses do not provide any storage features for parts useful in processing operations, such as replacement blades for the cutting device. It would be desirable to provide a suitable storage space on an apparatus to accommodate the storage of such parts.
One aspect of the present invention provides a master processing apparatus for use with a pair of removable feed rolls. The removable feed rolls carry a supply of stock material to be unwound and at least one of the stock materials has a layer of adhesive provided thereon. The apparatus includes a frame, a master processing assembly, and a cutter assembly. The frame is constructed and arranged to removably mount the feed rolls. The master processing assembly is constructed and arranged such that, when the feed rolls are removably mounted to the frame, a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master. The master processing assembly is constructed and arranged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed in a feeding direction into the feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof. The cutter assembly is removably mounted in a mounted operative position to the frame on the discharge side of the master processing assembly. The cutter assembly has a blade movable to perform a cutting operation in the form of a severing operation. In the cutting or severing operation, the blade cuts through the stock materials discharged from the processing assembly in a direction generally transverse to the feeding direction to sever a final product comprising the processed master and stock materials from a remainder of the supply of the stock materials. The cutter assembly is constructed and arranged to be removed from the frame for placement in a removed operative position on a generally horizontal surface separate from the frame. The cutter assembly is constructed and arranged such that, in the removed operative position, the blade is movable to perform other cutting operations including a trimming operation wherein the blade is moved to cut through the processed stock materials in the feeding direction.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a master processing system including a frame, first and second feed rolls, a master processing assembly, and a cutter assembly. The first and second feed rolls carry respective supplies of first and second stock material. The feed rolls are mounted to the frame to enable the stock materials to be unwound from their respective feed rolls, at least one of the stock materials having a layer of adhesive disposed thereon. The master processing assembly is constructed and arranged such that a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master. The master processing assembly is constructed and arranged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed into the feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof. The cutter assembly is removably mounted in a mounted operative position to the frame on the discharge side of the master processing assembly. The cutter assembly has a blade movable to perform a cutting operation in the form of a severing operation wherein the blade cuts through the stock materials discharged from the processing assembly in a direction generally transverse to the feeding direction to sever a final product comprising the processed master and stock materials from a remainder of the supply of the stock materials. The cutter assembly is constructed and arranged to be removed from the frame for placement in a removed operative position on a generally horizontal surface separate from the frame. The cutter assembly is constructed and arranged such that the blade is movable to perform other cutting operations including a trimming operation wherein the blade is moved to cut through the processed stock materials in the feeding direction.
Another aspect of the invention relates to an improved arrangement for mounting a blade carriage of a cutting assembly to a guide member. This aspect of the invention may be used in any type of arrangement and is not limited to the removable type of cutter assembly discussed above. In this aspect of the invention, the guide member has a removable portion that is removable to create an open space in the guide member. The open space is configured to enable the blade carriage to be (a) removed by transversely moving the carriage into the open space for disengagement of the carriage from the guide member, and (b) installed by disposing the blade carriage within the open space and moving the blade carriage transversely onto the guide member.
Still another aspect of the invention relates to a master processing apparatus for use with a pair of removable feed rolls. The removable feed rolls carry a supply of stock material to be unwound, at least one of the stock materials having a layer of adhesive provided thereon. The apparatus includes a frame constructed and arranged to removably mount the feed rolls and a master processing assembly constructed and arranged such that, when the feed rolls are removably mounted to the frame, a master can be inserted into the master processing assembly together with the stock materials unwound from their respective feed rolls and disposed on opposing sides of the master. The master processing assembly is constructed and arranged to perform a master processing operation wherein the master processing assembly causes adhesive bonding between the master and the stock materials being fed in a feeding direction into a feed side thereof and subsequently discharges the processed master and stock materials outwardly from a discharge side thereof. A support structure is removably mounted in a mounted operative position to the frame on one of the feed side and the discharge side of the master processing assembly. The support structure has a substrate supporting surface configured to receive and support the processed master and stock materials being fed through the master processing assembly in a substantially flat relation. The frame includes a storage compartment on the same side of the master processing assembly as the support structure in its mounted operative position. The storage compartment has an upwardly facing opening and is configured to store objects therein. The support structure is positioned in covering relation to the upwardly facing opening of the storage compartment when the support structure is removably mounted in the mounted operative position to the frame. The support structure is constructed and arranged to be removed from the frame to enable access to the storage compartment of the frame through the upwardly facing opening thereof.